This course is aimed at informing healthcare managers, clinicians, planners and policy makers with an overview of healthcare associated infection (HAI), the complexity of the causes and drivers of the spread of HAI and the activities required for the prevention and control of HAIs.
Infection prevention and control is patient safety priority in our healthcare facilities. In the future, common treatable infections may become untreatable. Past estimates of patients acquiring a healthcare associated infection (HAI) range from 1 in 8 to 1 in 10 hospitalised patients. Healthcare associated infections contribute to the disability and stress of the patient, additional length of stay and cost and death. Infection prevention and control in healthcare settings is a global priority endorsed by the World Health Organization and a national priority for the Australian Government, Ministries of Health, the Australian Commission of Quality and Safety in Health Care and healthcare facility accreditation organisations.
This course is aimed at informing healthcare managers, clinicians, planners and policymakers with an overview of HAIs, the complexity of the causes and drivers of the spread of HAI and the activities required for the prevention and control of HAIs. Because the course is aligned with the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards 3 it is particularly of interest to healthcare managers but also international students will also benefit as this Standard is a core component of any excellent infection prevention and control program. The course content includes components infection control programs recognised as core to any sound program by the World Health Organization. An international expert in infection prevention facilitates the course and experts in specific content provide lectures on the current issues.
This course is an elective course of the Master of Health Leadership and Management, Master of Public Health, Master of Infectious Diseases Intelligence and Master of Global Health programs. It is comprised of 6 units of credit towards the total required for the completion of these programs.
External (Distance) classes online
We welcome students from any discipline and level of experience to contribute perspectives and understandings. In addition, we encourage you to engage with the material, ask questions, discuss relevant issues with teachers and colleagues, and regard the available literature with a critical eye.
This course aims to develop students’ capacity to understand the application of infection prevention and control principles, strategies and policies in a range of healthcare settings. Students, coming from a range of careers, such as healthcare managers, clinicians, planners, policymakers and related disciplines, will gain from this course an understanding of the requirement of an infection control program in a healthcare facility. They will learn about the epidemiology of healthcare associated infections, basic infection prevention and control practices, surveillance, antibiotic stewardship programs and an introduction to antibiotic resistance. They will learn about a hospital approach to outbreak detection and management, and other related policies and procedures to prevent infection transmission.
On completion of this course, students will be able to:
Postgraduate teaching aims to support students in developing their capacity for inquiry and critical thinking. In this course, an active learning approach is encouraged through interactive instruction, self-directed learning, collaborative problem solving and peer learning. Core content is provided through recorded lectures, with some of the lectures facilitated by external experts to allow students the opportunity to be exposed to a diversity of perspectives. Weekly activities, including the use of case studies and online student discussions, have been designed to engage students in the learning process. Lastly, for each of the modules that we cover, you will find a dedicated Moodle book which will include additional resources such as short lectures, videos and key readings to promote and encourage active and self-directed learning. It is expected that students will draw on a range of resources to enrich their own learning. The approach to learning and teaching that we use in this course has been designed to allow flexibility in the way that you engage with the material each week and to provide you with the skills to empower you to be a lifelong learner.
Assessment Task 1 – Online quizzes
Weighting: 40%
Length: Online questions each week associated with the previous week’s topic
Assessment Task 2 – Case study in infection control
Weighting: 60%
Length: 2500 words
The following ebooks are available from the UNSW library: